Tie press



y 23, 1929. c. K. CHAMBERLAIN 1,721,656

' TIE PRESS Filed llarch 1a. 1922 ;M Maw/gamma) Patented July 23, 1929.

PATENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE K. CHAMBERLAIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

'I lIE rnnss.

Application filed March 18, 1922. Serial No. 544,887.

My invention relates to the pressing and smoothing of articles ofapparel so that they will be kept substantially in normal shape andcondition and free from disfiguring wrinkles. It has special applicationto the care and preservation of cravats and neckties. The severetreatment to which these articles are subjected usually causes them tobe discarded long before their normal usefulness is ended. This isparticularly true with ties of the four-in-hand type. It is quite apractice when tying such a scarf to use it as a cinch to draw the collarclosely into place.

\Vrinkles are thus produced in the short spaces at which the knot istied, which are lengthwise of the tie and which, when once started,follow the same general lines each time the scarf is tied. If notpressed out and kept pressed out they rapidly destroy the fabric byestablishing lines of wear. It is a further fact that when pressed. asusual by the use of a moistened folder and a hot iron the combination ofheat and moisture deteriorates the silk, rapidly destroying its qualityand lustre.

It is one object of my invention to provide a simple, effective andinexpensive device for removing the wrinkles from scarfs and ties andsimilar small articles without the use of heat and usually without theapplication of moisture, leaving the surface in a smooth and pressedcondition.

It is a further object of my invention to treat longitudinal wrinkles bythe progressively transverse action of clamping faces, the fabric beingthus permitted to extend itself freely in advance of the final pressureapplied thereto.

Referrin to the drawings forming a part of the specification: Fig. 1shows a perspective view of a device embodying the principles of myinvention. Fig. 2 is a section of the same on the line 2-2 of Fig. 10.Fig. 3 shows an end view as opened to receive a tie. Figs. 4 and 5 aredetails of the hinge construction. Fig. 6 is a finishing piece. Fig. 7shows the locking device just prior to final closing. Fig. 8 shows anend view of the jaws as closed. Fig. 9 shows the method of unlocking andopening the jaws. Fig. 10 is a plan view showing the device closed and atie therein under pressure.

Further describing my invention with ref erence to the drawings in whichlike characters of reference denote like parts throughout:

It consists essentially of two members or jaws, 1 and 2 of resilientsheet material such as spring brass steel or nickel silver or celluloid.Said jaws are curved from side to side forming convex, co-acting faces 1and 2 adapted to bear on and press the material placed between them ashereinafter explained.

The said jaws or pressing members are hinged together at adjacentstraight edges in any suitable or convenient way, but 1 prefer toaccomplish this by means of the structure shown, in which the edge ofthe inner jaw 2 is given a substantially complete roll forming a tube 4.The corresponding edge of the lower jaw 1 is given a partial roll 5, thelatter being so closely formed as to exert slight spring pressure on theinner tube and provide a close fitting and smooth acting hinge. When thejaws are turned relatively to each other as shown in Fig. 3, for theintroduction of the article to be pressed, the outer face of jaw 2 in aline adjacent to the hinge will contact with the edge 6 of the outerroll, which forms a stop to limit further opening of the jaws.

The free edges of the jaws may be so formed relatively to each otherthat a positive and rigid locking device is provided. In doing this Iturn the free edge of the lower aw 1 upwardly on the side of the inneror convex face to form a flange 10 at approximately a right anglethereto and form an inwardly facing bead 11 011 the edge of said flange.This bead preferably should consist of a double thickness of thematerial folded closely on 1tself and should leave a space or recess 12therebelow. A similar but narrow flange 13 is formed on the free edge ofthe upper jaw 2 on the outer or concave side thereof. Said last namedflange should be rounded or should be at such an angle to the body ofthe upper jaw, as to provide a slanting face 14; while a reinforcingbead 15 should be formed by turning the extreme edge of the flangebackwardly and folding it upon itself. The width of the two jaws and theflanges and beads thereon should be in such relation to each other thatwhen the device is being closed the slanted face 14 of jaw 2 shouldstrike against the bead 11 on the flange of jaw 1. Pressure applied incompletely closing the jaws will cause the flange 10 to yield outwardlythus permitting the flange 13 on the edge of jaw l to pass the head 11and set itself in the space 12 therebelow. The flange will spring backto normal position and the jaws will be positively locked together;

It will be seen that when the jaws are given equal initial curvature andhave equal spring resistance the curves will be straightened into therelative positions forming a substantial planeas shown in Fig. 8 inwhichthe look as described is illustrated. It will further be t noted thatwhen a tie is being pressed between the jaws in the act of closing;first, the pressure will be uniformlyand progressively ap: plied to thefabric, thus pushing out the longitudinal wrinkles ahead of the pointsof contact of the pressing faces; second, the mutual pressure ofthe twojaws toward each other will always be equal and the relative posiv tionsof the free edges and of the locking de- Ill vices thereon will alwaysbe the same; third, that the look when formed will be firmly held as lonas the jaws remain in their normallyrelative positions. But when it isis desired to release the edges and open the device to remove the tiethe device as a whole should be given a backward curve as shown in Fig.9 thus relatively lengthening the arc of the lower jaw, and shorteningthe arc of the upper aw. The free edge of the latter is thus withdrawnfrom engagement with the overhanging bead of the lower jaw; the lockwill be broken, the spring jaws will open automatically and the tie willbe released.

It will be observed that'as shown the hinge is so formed on the twocorresponding edges of the aws that it is wholly above the plane ofcontact of the co-acting faces and that in like manner the flanges onthe free edges of the jawsprovide securing means which are also abovethe said contact plane. A level under-face is thus provided free fromprojections which might disfigure furniture, while the raised hinge andflange on opposite edges of the device provide convenient means forgiving the backward curve to unlock the jaws.

Irhave described my invention as one in which all elements of anoperative structure are integrally comprehended in the two clamping aws.As a finish, however, for the ends of the hinge I prefer to provide atubular rivet or eyelet having the barrel 17 of such diameter as to fitsnugly within the tubular roll of the inner jaw, and having a flange 18of width corresponding to the con'ibined widths ofthe said tubular rolland the external enclosing roll 5. Said finishing eyelets thus furtherform stops to prevent relatively longitudinal displacement of tle rollsforming the hinge structure. Furthermore, when of accuratelypredetermined diameter the rigidly tubular barrels of the finishingpieces provide a standard to which slight variations of the hinge rollswill conform.

I claim:

1. A tie press consisting of a pair of oppositely out-curved springplates having means along one longitudinal edge thereof forming a hingeand having means along the other longitudinal edge thereof forming aclasp to hold the plates in face to face contact, the said clasp formingportions of the plates having limited engagement and being releasable bysimultaneousflexure of the plates in one direction. Y

2. In a tie press, a pair of resilient clamping plates connected withone another along one longitudinal edge and diverging toward theiropposite free edges, and contacting gradually from their connected edgestoward their outer edges when brought together for transverselystretching the tie, and means along the free edges of said plates havinglimited engagement forming a clasp adapted to be released by a flexureof said plates in union in one direction. v

3. In a tie press, a pair of resilient clamping plates in connectionwith one another along one edge anddiverging toward their opposite freeedges, and flanges along the free edges of said plates having beads, theflanges being formed to abut and the beads engaging one beneath theother to form a clasp whose engagement is limited whereby a flexure ofthe plates in. unison in one direction serves to release the clasp.

4. .In a tie press, a pair of resilient clamping members in connectionwith one another at one side of the press and diverging toward theopposite side thereof, said members having engaging portions along theother side of the press, forming aclasp, said engaging portions beingdisengageable by a flexure of said members in unison in one direction.

5. In a tie press, a pair of outwardly curved resilient plates hingedtogether along one longitudinal edge and gradually contacting fromsubstantially the hinge connection to the forward edge when broughttogether and thereby pinching the longitudinal edge of a tie near'thehinge and transversely stretching out the creases and means at theforward longitudinal edge of'said plates for latching the same together.

6. In a tie press, a pair of outwardly curved and diverging resilientplates each having a rolled head at one longitudinal edge forming ahinge joint whereby said plates gradually come into contacting relationfrom substantially the hinge joint to the forward'longit-udinal edgewhen brought together, said plates pinching a longitudinal edge of thetie near the hinge and transversely uncreasing the tie when broughttogether and means on the forward longitudinal edge of the plates forsecuring said plates in closed position.

7 In a tie press, a pair of outwardly diverging and curved resilientplates hinged together at one longitudinal edge for gradual contactingrelation from a point adjacent the 5 hinge joint to the forward edgewhen brought together for pinching a longitudinal edge of a tie near thehinge and transversely uncreasing the same, said plates havinginterlocking parts at their forward edges for securing the same inclosed osition.

In witness W ereof I have hereunto set my hand at Chicago, Illinois,this 16th day of March, 1922.

CLARENCE K. CHAMBERLAIN.

